The present disclosure relates to a cover assembly for on-board electric equipment and a method of manufacturing the cover assembly.
Japanese Patent Application Publication Nos. 2014-34960 and 2016-98664 each disclose a cover for on-board electric equipment (hereinafter, simply referred to as the cover). More specifically, the covers disclosed in the Publications are used for on-board electric compressors.
According to Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2014-34960, an electric circuit is accommodated in the cover. The cover is provided with a connector. The connector electrically connects the electric circuit in the cover to an external component outside the cover to thereby supply electric power to the electric circuit. The connector includes a terminal to be connected to the electric circuit and a connector housing that surrounds the terminal. The cover and the connector housing are joined and integrated at a joining region in the cover. The joining region includes an insertion hole that is formed in the connector housing, a threaded hole that is formed in the cover so as to be aligned with the insertion hole, and a bolt that is inserted in the insertion hole and tightened in the threaded hole.
According to Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2016-98664, the cover is made of a metal and accommodates an electric circuit. The cover is provided with a connector. The connector also electrically connects the electric circuit in the cover to an external component outside the cover to supply electric power to the electric circuit. The connector includes a plurality of bus bars, first and second mount plates made of a metal. The cover and the connector are joined and integrated at a joining region in the cover. The joining region has a first insertion hole and a second insertion hole formed in the first mount plate and the second mount plate, respectively, threaded holes that are formed in the cover so as to be aligned with the first and second insertion holes, and bolts that are inserted in the first and second insertion holes and tightened in the threaded holes.
It is preferable that on-board electric equipment for vehicle be as small as possible so as to improve the mountability on vehicles. Reduction in the size of the covers is accordingly required. However, since the covers disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication Nos. 2014-34960 and 2016-98664 have through holes and threaded holes for bolts in the joining regions, areas for the through hole and the threaded holes for the bolts must be provided in the joining regions. Furthermore, the covers disclosed in the Publications require sealing members to be inserted between the cover and the connector so that airtightness is ensured between the cover and the connector. Thus, it is difficult to further reduce the size of the covers of the Publications.
In order to reduce the size of the covers, it may be attempted to form a resin-based connector housing on the cover using injection molding so that the cover and the connector housing are joined and integrated at the joining region. In such case, the joining region need not have space for through holes and threaded holes for bolts. Furthermore, the injection molding of the connector housing eliminates the use of a sealing member to ensure airtightness between the cover and the connector. As a result, the size of the cover can be reduced.
Meanwhile, in the case of the above-described cover having the resin connector housing, the joining strength between the cover and the connector housing may not be sufficient and the connector housing may be detached from the cover easily, as compared with the cover that is joined to the inverter cover with bolts. In particular, the connector connected to the on-board electric equipment is subjected to vibration from other components on the vehicle and also vibration generated while the vehicle is traveling, which causes the connector housing to be detached from the cover easily. Therefore, with such cover, electric power may not be supplied suitably to the electric circuit through the connector.
The present disclosure has been made in view of the circumstances above, and is directed to providing a cover assembly for on-board electric equipment that enables reduction in the size thereof and that permits a connector to suitably supply electric power to an electric circuit, and a method of manufacturing the cover assembly.